What the seaplane report adds
Water Operations & Egress
- Wind on the water at each water end, against your limit.
- Estimated chop and swell from the wind and the open water upwind, against your wave limit.
- Glassy-water risk — calm, flat water that hides your height above the surface.
- Water temperature and what it means for survival time.
- Gear callout for amphibians — gear up for water, down for runways, leg by leg.
- An egress brief using what you said is aboard.
Live lake gauges
When a government water gauge (USGS or NOAA) within 10 NM has reported in the last 3 hours, the panel uses it for measured water temperature, lake level (high, normal or low for the date) and measured wind on the water. Each value is labelled measured or estimated, so you always know which you're reading. Gauges are advisory and never change the verdict on their own.
When no gauge is close enough, the panel uses the nearest airport's wind and temperature and says so.
Departing from a water site
A pinned water site is the true start or end of your route: distance, obstacle and departure maps use the lake pin, and the nearest airport supplies weather only. The runway engine-failure escape brief is skipped for water departures.
Over-water legs
Long legs over water add distance from shore, nearby NOAA buoys, the point of no return and equal-time point, and the nearest Coast Guard air stations.